Chamlong Srimuang

In
Asia, we realize, the trappings of democracy must often come before the
substance of democracy. This has certainly been the experience of
Southeast Asia, where elected officials have long occupied a conspicuous
place on the national stage, but where real power often lies with
others who stand well beyond the reach of voters.

The
process of achieving democracy can be painfully slow in such
circumstances, and is easily frustrated. And since few political actors
are wholly immune to intrigues, or to greed and power-seeking, sometimes
it is the behavior of elected officials themselves that discredits the
democratic alternative. Yet, if elected leaders are no better than
military strongmen or domineering party bosses, why should people take
the risk of insisting on democracy?

As
the elected governor of Bangkok and a champion of democratic reforms in
Thailand, CHAMLONG SRIMUANG has renewed hope among Thais that the risk
is worth taking.

Son
of an immigrant Chinese fish vendor, CHAMLONG rose in life by dint of
discipline and ambition. He worked his way through high school and
achieved admission to the Royal Thai Military Academy, graduating in
1960. As a military officer he served in Laos and Vietnam, and at the
Armed Forces Supreme Command in Thailand. He studied management abroad.
Chosen in 1980 to become executive secretary to Prime Minister Prem
Tinsulanond, he stepped down a year later to oppose an impending law
that he disapproved of on moral grounds; but he remained with the army
and was promoted to major general. In 1985, when constitutional reforms
made the governorship of Bangkok an elected post, he resigned and
launched his first political campaign.

Drawing
on the teachings of an austere sect of Buddhism which he practices,
CHAMLONG placed moral issues at the center of his election campaign. No
vote buying. No smearing of rivals. No compromising political
contributions. He mobilized his followers into a new party which he
later named Palang Dharma, or Moral Force. And, against the odds, he
won.

As
governor, CHAMLONG brought order and cleanliness to Bangkok's streets,
canals, and public markets. He tackled the city's crippling floods and
traffic. He improved life for the city's poorest. Saying, "a selfish
person throws garbage everywhere," he exhorted Bangkok's six million
citizens to make sacrifices for the common good. He taught them that
small human actions, if practiced widely by citizens, can have a huge
public impact. Refusing his salary and turning his back on other
perquisites of office, CHAMLONG set the example himself. He lived
simply, dressed simply, and ate only one vegetarian meal a day. To make a
point, he took up a broom and swept the streets.

CHAMLONG
swept his government clean too. Less corruption meant more money for
city services. So did vigorous tax collection. "I suggest sincerity and
hard work," he said, and practiced what he preached. This astonished his
constituents who re-elected him in a landslide victory in 1990.

In
March 1992 CHAMLONG's Palang Dharma party won 32 of Bangkok's 35 seats
in Thailand's parliament, making him a national force. When, a few
months later, the country's chief military commander assumed the office
of prime minister, 57-year-old CHAMLONG pitted his moral authority
against the brute strength of the state. With a stunning act of
non-violent protest that prompted his arrest, he galvanized the public
to reject the unelected leader. Thailand's King intervened personally to
effect his release and to foster a peaceful resolution to the crisis
favoring greater democracy for Thailand.

In
electing CHAMLONG SRIMUANG to receive the 1992 Ramon Magsaysay Award
for Government Service, the Board of Trustees recognizes his exemplary
governorship of Bangkok and his fervent insistence that elections are
the sole legitimate path to political power in Thailand.

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